THE REWARDS FOR FOLLOWING JESUS" TEACHINGS
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, once came to Jesus and said, "Master, we want you to do for us what we shall ask." So he said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They answered, "When you enter into your kingly glory, let one of us sit on your right hand and one on your left." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup of woe that I am to drink, or be baptized with the baptism of suffering with which I am to be baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said, "You will drink the cup that I am to drink and be baptized with my baptism, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give; for it is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten other disciples heard this request, they were at first angry with James and John, but Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that those who are rulers in foreign countries lord it over those under them, and their great men have authority over them; but it is not so among you. Whoever wishes to be great among you must serve you, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be ready to be the servant of all. For I did not come to be served but to be of service to others, and to give my life so as to secure freedom for many."
Then he took a little child and set him in their midst. And taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives a little child like this, in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me receives not only me, but G.o.d who sent me. Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple will, I tell you, not lose his reward.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and with him all the angels, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all people shall be gathered before him. And he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, placing the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, enter into possession of the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me."
"Then the upright will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you? Or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?" The King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you have done it even to the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.""
G.o.d"S LOVE EVEN FOR SINNERS
Because tax-gathers and sinners kept coming to Jesus to hear him, the Pharisees and scribes complained, "This man welcomes sinners and even eats with them!" So he told them this story: "What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go and hunt for the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and when he gets home calls together his friends and says, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the sheep that I lost." So, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who is truly sorry and promises to do right than over ninety-nine upright men who have no need to do so.
"Or which one of you women, if she has ten silver coins but has lost one, does not light a lamp, sweep the house thoroughly, and search carefully until she finds it? After finding it she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost." So, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of G.o.d over one sinner who is truly sorry and promises to do right."
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Curtis Publishing Company_
_Seeking the Lost Sheep_
Painted by Herbert Moore]
Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, "Father, give me the part of your property that belongs to me."
So the Father divided his property between his two sons. A few days later, the younger son got together all that he had and went into a distant country where he wasted his money in reckless living. After he had spent it all, there was a great famine in the land, and he began to be in want. So he agreed to work for a man of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine; and he was ready to eat even the pods that the swine were eating, for no one gave him food. But when he came to himself he said, "How many of my father"s hired servants have more than enough to eat while I die here of hunger! I will go to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against G.o.d and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."
"So he went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt pity for him, and ran and threw his arms about his neck and tenderly kissed him. Then his son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against G.o.d and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick, bring a coat, the best, and put it on him and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead but has come back to life, he was lost but has been found." So they began to make merry.
"Now the elder son was out in the fields, and as he came near the house he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what all this meant. The servant said to him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound." And he was angry and would not go in so his father came out to reason with him, but he answered, "See all these many years I have worked for you and never disobeyed one of your commands, yet you never gave me so much as a young goat that I might have a feast with my friends. But now when this son of yours comes, who has wasted your money with wicked women, you kill the fatted calf for him!" His father answered, "Son, you are with me always and all that I have is yours; but it was right to make merry and rejoice because of your brother, for he was dead but has come back to life, he was lost but has been found.""
G.o.d"S READINESS TO ANSWER PRAYER
Jesus said: "Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you; for every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.
"What man is there among you, who if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? Then if you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
"Also I tell you: if two of you on earth agree about that for which you ask, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there with them."
HOW TO PRAY
The apostles said to Jesus, "Help us to have greater faith." But he said, "If you had faith even the size of a mustard-seed and said to this mulberry-tree, "Be rooted up and be planted in the sea," it would obey you."
Again he said to them, "Have faith in G.o.d. Indeed I tell you that if any one will say to this hill, "Throw yourself into the sea," and has no doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pa.s.s, it shall be done for him. Therefore, I say to you, believe that whatever you ask for in prayer you have received, and it shall be yours. And whenever you stand up to pray, if any one has done wrong to you, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your wrong-doing."
When Jesus was praying at a certain place and had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples." So he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our wrong-doings as we have forgiven those who have wronged us. Help us to resist temptation and deliver us from evil."
"When you pray, do not do as the hypocrites who like to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets so as to be seen by men. I tell you, they have received their full reward! But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is found in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will give you your reward.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Curtis Publishing Company_
_The Prodigal Son_
Painted by Herbert Moore]
"When you pray do not say the same things over and over as do the heathen, who believe that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not do as they do. Your Father knows what things you need before you ask him."
WHY WE SHOULD TRUST G.o.d
"Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall wear. Does not life mean more than food, and the body more than clothing? Consider how the birds of the air neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth far more than they? Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father"s knowledge. As for you, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Then have no fear, for you are worth far more than the sparrows.
"Which of you by being anxious can add a single foot to his height? And why be anxious about what you wear? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow! They neither toil nor spin, and yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of these. Now if G.o.d so clothes the gra.s.s of the field which is alive to-day but to-morrow is thrown into the oven, is it not far more certain that he will clothe you, O men of little faith?
"Do not be anxious then and say, "What shall we eat or what shall we drink or with what shall we be clothed?" For all these things the heathen are seeking, but your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first to do right as he would have you do, and all these other things will be given to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about to-morrow, for to-morrow will take care of itself."
THE KINGDOM OF G.o.d
Once when little children were brought to Jesus that he might touch them, the disciples found fault with those who brought them. When Jesus saw it, he was displeased and said to his disciples, "Allow the little children to come to me; and do not forbid them, for of such as these is the Kingdom of G.o.d. I tell you, whoever will not accept the Kingdom of G.o.d like a little child, will never enter it." Then he took the children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and lovingly blessed them.
One Sabbath day Jesus went to dine at the house of a leading Pharisee.
One of the guests said to him, "Fortunate is he who will have a share in the Kingdom of G.o.d."
But Jesus said to him, "A man once gave a great dinner and invited many guests. At dinner-time he sent out his servant to say to those who had been invited, "Come, for everything is now ready." But all of them began to make excuses. The first said, "I have bought a field and must go and look at it. I must ask you to excuse me." Another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them. I must ask you to excuse me." Another said, "I have just married and so I cannot come."
"The servant returned and reported these answers to his master. Then the master of the house was angry and said to his servant, "Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." When the servant reported, "Sir, your order has been carried out, yet there is still room," the master said to him, "Go out into the highways and the country lanes and compel people to come, so that my house may be filled; for I tell you, that not one of those who were first invited shall taste of my dinner.""
Once when Jesus was walking along the road, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked, "Good Master, what must I do that I may be sure of eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except one only: G.o.d. You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not be dishonest. Honor your father and mother."" He said to him, "Master, I have kept all these commands from my youth." Looking upon him, Jesus loved him and said, "One thing you lack; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come with me." But when the man heard this, he looked sad, and he went away in sorrow, for he had great wealth. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of G.o.d!" They were surprised at his words, but again he said, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in wealth to enter the Kingdom of G.o.d. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle"s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of G.o.d." And they were so astonished that they said, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with G.o.d, for with G.o.d everything is possible."
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS
Once a lawyer asked Jesus, "What is the most important of all the commandments?" Jesus answered, "The most important is: "The Lord our G.o.d is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your G.o.d with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with your whole mind and with your whole strength."
"The second is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these."
The lawyer said to him, "Teacher, you have rightly and truly said, "There is one G.o.d and there is none other. Also to love him, with all one"s heart, and with all one"s understanding, and with all one"s strength, and to love one"s neighbor as one loves himself is far more than all whole-burnt offerings and sacrifices.""
When Jesus saw that the lawyer had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of G.o.d."
THE REWARDS OF MODESTY AND UNSELFISHNESS